The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 20 (Privas) · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Obſervations upon Reading of our Church-Diſcipline.
Article 1. IN reading and reviſing the Diſcipline of our Churches, this National Synod voted, That whereas in the cloſe of the ſecond Canon of the firſt Chapter, the time and manner of admitting Novices lately converted from Popery to the Reformed Religion, are particularly ſpecified: Now inſtead of theſe words, [Unleſs in a Provincial Synod] theſe enſuing ſhall be inſerted, Unleſs by the Advice of Provincial and National Synods; and the ſaid Canon ſhall be finiſhed with this Sentence, Nor ſhall they be Ordained by Impoſition of Hands no more than if they were unknown perſons without the Advice of Provincial and National Synods.
Article 2. On the third Canon of the firſt Chapter, after theſe words which do almoſt conclude it, [And after long experience had of his Repentance and Godly Converſation] There ſhall be nothing added, but the laſt clauſe ſhall be blotted out; viz. He being found meet and ſit, and ſufficiently qualified to teach the Church, may be choſen and called unto the Sacred Miniſtry.
Article 3. The Deputies of Burgundy demanding that they might not be bound by that Canon of the Synod of St. Maixant, that ſeven Paſtors ſhould be preſent at the Examination of that perſon, who is called unto the Miniſtry, becauſe there is ſo great a diſtance between the Churches of their Province, which renders its obſervation impoſſible and impracticable, as alſo becauſe the moſt of their Colloquies are compoſed but of five Paſtors. This Aſſembly, for many and weighty reaſons, would not in the leaſt change that Article; and therefore adviſed them to defer the Examination of the Candidate until the Meeting of their Provincial Synod.
Article 4. On the*This is now the 19th in one Edit. 1653. and in that of 1663. but that 20th in 1666. and in 1678. eighteenth Canon of the firſt Chapter, which enjoyned Miniſters to preſs their People to Modeſty in their Garments, and by themſelves and their Families to be patterns of it unto their Flocks, great complaints were made and brought in againſt many Miniſters, not only of their neglects, but alſo of their oppoſition to it, and that their Wives and Children were very vain and immodeſt in their Garbs and Dreſſes. This Synod earneſtly deſiring to remove ſo great a ſcandal, doth give expreſs order unto all Moderators of Colloquies and Provincial Synods to reform thoſe Exceſſes by the ſevereſt Cenſures; and the refractory ſhall, by the Authority of this Synod, be ſuſpended from their Miniſtry, until ſuch time as they have removed this ſcandal. And that this Canon may be better and more ſtrictly obſerved, permiſſion is given unto private perſons, according to the Rules of our Diſcipline, to inform their Conſiſtories of thoſe aforeſaid Exceſſes, and to demand a reformation of them, which in caſe it be denied; they may addreſs themſelves unto the Colloquies, who ſhall enforce them to it by Cenſures, even both the Conſiſtories and their Abettors.
Article 5. The fourth Canon of the fourth Chapter ſhall be couched in theſe terms: That thoſe diſorders may be prevented which daily happen through Certificates given unto the Poor, every Church ſhall endeavour to maintain its own Poor; and in caſe any poor perſon ſhould be conſtrained through the urgency of his Affairs to travel abroad, then Miniſters ſhall carefully examine him in their Conſiſtories, about the cauſes of his Journey, and give him Letters directed to the next Church, lying in the right way that he muſt go, ſpecifying his name, age, ſtature, hair, and place whereunto, and the cauſe of his Travel, and that aſſiſtance which was given him, together with the date of the day and year; which Letters that Church whereunto he is directed ſhall keep by it, and give him others unto the next. And all Certificates formerly given ſhall be torn in pieces.
Article 6. Theſe words ſhall be added unto the 28th Canon of the fifth Chapter, Unleſs in caſe of High Treaſon, according to the known Judgment of former Synods.
Article 7. Unto the ſame words in the 30th Canon of the ſame Chapter, Unleſs in caſe of High Treaſon, theſe words following ſhall be added, Revealed unto the Magiſtrate.
Article 8. The Deputies of the Iſle of France demanded an expoſition upon the 18th Canon of the fifth Chapter of our Diſcipline, about Appeals from publick Suſpenſions, that they might know whether a Conſiſtory having decreed a publick Suſpenſion againſt a delinquent Member or Miniſter, and he appealing from it, they might, notwithſtanding his Appeal, yet proceed unto Suſpenſion. This Synod determineth, that the Conſiſtory ought not to proceed any farther, but ſhall admit of the Appeal, unleſs it be in caſe of publick Crimes, notoriouſly known unto the whole Church. And the next Colloquy or Provincial Synod ſhall judge finally of that Appeal.
Article 9. Expreſs order is given unto the Provinces to ſee that the 33d Article of the fifth Chapter of our Diſcipline be punctually obſerved and obeyed.
Article 10. In purſuance of the Obſervations made by the National Synod of Rochel, on the ninth Article of the fifth Chapter of our Diſcipline, after theſe words, Paſtors and Elders, theſe ſhall be added, nor ſhall there be any Appeals admitted from full Conſiſtories, nor from the greater part of them, yet the ſaid Appeals ſhall be in force againſt particular members of the ſaid Conſiſtory, whether Paſtors or Elders, provided thoſe Appeals be received by the Conſiſtory, and being approved by it they may proceed farther: Notwithſtanding any Appeal brought in to the contrary upon the admiſſion or rejecting of the ſaid Appeals.
Article 11. A Caſe was moved, whether in thoſe Churches where there is but one Paſtor, and an Appeal is brought againſt him, the Elders may judge of this controverſy. This Synod determines, that Elders may judge of all emerging differences, yea ſo far as of ſuſpenſion from the Lords Table, matters of Doctrine and of Excommunication only excepted; In which two points Elders may not judge without their Paſtor.
Article 12. The Deputies of Berry demanding how we ſhould carry it towards malefactors accuſed of unpardonable Crimes by the Civil Laws, and yet giving Laudable Teſtimonies of their Repentance, did Demand the conſolation of communion with us in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper: This Synod judgeth that the Criminal giving plenary ſatisfaction unto the Church, he may be received into Communion with us at the Lords Table, although he cannot expert from the King any Pardon of his Crime: One Juriſdiction not claſhing with the other.
Article 13. The 24th Canon of the 5th Chapter ſhall be thus worded; He whoſe ſuſpenſion had been declared unto the Congregation, and afterwards evidencing his repentance before the Conſiſtory by good works, and a godly life, and ſufficient Teſtimonies, ſhall be received unto the peace and fellowship of the Church upon the acknowledgment of his offence.
Article 14. A difficulty was moved whether Promiſes of Marriage made in words de Futuro were as obliging and indiſſolvable as thoſe by words de praeſenti. This Aſſembly judgeth they be not of equal force and vertue, there being as great a difference between words de praeſenti and de futuro, as between promiſe and performance, word and deed. For 'tis a clear caſe, Eſpouſed perſons may on divers accounts be ſeparated, which cannot diſſolve a Marriage already conſummated, as, difference in Religion, unknown before the promiſes, impotency fallen out by ſome accident ſince the promiſes: And this is farther evident by the publication of Banes after Betrothings, which is therefore done, that any one may have Liberty to bring in his reaſons againſt it, which are never admitted when Marriages are celebrated, but only when they be deſigned and promiſed. And often times it ſo falls out, that one of the Eſpouſed Parties retracting its promiſes, takes up a Reſolution never to marry, whence it would follow, that if Betrothed perſons were bound by words de futuro, then the Innocent and wronged Party ſhould never marry, which would intangle Conſcience in very great Temptations; and tho God hath ordained, that whom he hath joyned together Man ſhall not in any wiſe part aſunder, yet they may be ſeparated by the Civil Magiſtrate; And that Authority of the Magiſtrate will in ſome Caſes oblige us to hold them ſeparated, whom God had once joyned together in this holy ordinance. 'Tis true that Betrothed Perſons in Scripture are called Husband and Wife, not that they be ſo already in very truth and deed, but only becauſe the Scripture oftentimes ſtyleth things ſhortly to be done as if they had been already done. And though a Betrothed Wife committing Whoredom be by the Law of Moſes as ſeverely puniſhed as a Married Woman that commits adultery, yet it doth not thence follow that ſhe is an Adultoreſs. For in the ſame Chapter, a Daughter playing the Whore in her Fathers Houſe is alſo puniſhed with death. Therefore for theſe and other cauſes, and for that the Laws of the Kingdom do decree that Promiſes of Marriage ſhall be made in expreſs words de futuro: This Aſſembly ordaineth, that from henceforward All the Members of our Churches ſhall Univerſally and Uniformly conform to the Laws and Cuſtoms of this Kingdom, not only as to the bare words, but alſo as to their ſence and meaning, and that the words de futuro ſhall not be reckoned by the parties as obliging and diſſolvable as words de praeſenti: So then for time coming the fifth Article in the Chapter of Marriges ſhall be Couched in theſe words. Henceforward in Promiſes of Marriage the words de futuro ſhall be uſed, as alſo in all Eſpouſals, nor ſhall thoſe words be taken as indiſſolvable as the words de praeſenti, becauſe words de praeſenti do not Promiſe, but effect and perform Marriage, yet thoſe words and Promiſes de futuro ſhall never be diſſolved without very great and lawful cauſes. And therefore that Cuſtom of divers Churches, celebrating the Eſpouſals by the Miniſtry and Benediction of the Paſtor, and gift of bodies with words de praeſenti, is expreſly condemned: For this Synod reckoneth that by this Ceremony the parties be truly and actually joyned together in Marriage, and that conſequently all Banes are prepoſterous and uſeleſs, becauſe done after Marriage, and the Bleſſing of the Church thereby render'd altogether needleſs. Yet we don't count it ill for Miniſters to aſſiſt at Eſpouſals, nor that they ſhould by prayer implore the Divine Bleſſing on the intended Marriage, nor that they ſhould exhort the Betrothed Perſons to mutual Love, Unity, Faithfulneſs and the fear of God; only, that they ought to forbear thoſe other formallities, which ſometime render a bond indiſſolvible, which we be afterwards neceſſitated to break and untye, becauſe of thoſe oppoſitions which are made at the publiſhing of the Banes, and for divers other Cauſes that may then happen. And the Churches of Rouen and Dieppe who ſolemnize Eſpouſals in the Temple after the ſame manner as publick Marriages, are exhorted to abandon this uſage, and to conform unto the received Cuſtom in the Churches and Provinces of this Kingdom.
Article 15. Whereas formerly the 16th Article of the eighth Chapter of our Diſcipline contained the diſtribution of the Provinces, it ſhall be henceforward the 15th, and the Provincial Synods ſhall be thus diſtributed.
1. The Iſle of France.
2. Normandy.
3. Brittany.
4. Berry.
5. Anjou.
6. Poictou.
7. Xaintonge.
8. Lower Guyenne.
9. Higher Languedoc.
10. Bearn.
11. Lower Languedoc.
12. Provence.
13. Dolphiny.
14. Sevennes.
15. Vivaretz.
16. Burgundy.
Article 16. The Church-Diſcipline being read, was unanimouſly approved by all the Deputies then preſent, who promiſed to obſerve it, and ſee it obſerved in their reſpective Provinces. And this Aſſembly gave an expreſs charge to Monſieur Valleton, Paſtor of the Church of Privas, to get the Confeſſion of Faith, and the Book of Diſcipline tranſcribed, that ſo the Copies of them might be ſigned and ſubſcribed by all the Deputies of this Aſſembly, and the ſubſcribed Copy ſhall be depoſited in the hands of the Deputies of that Province which is appointed to ſummon the next National Synod.